Our Hands: Together We RiseHuman hands, when used together and for good, offer a glimpse at a better future. This program features the beauty of Caroline Shaw’s To the Hands, which implores us, “Let us open our hands to those of others…walls are not the answer." History has also demonstrated that human hands can be used to cause anger, fear, confusion, and pain which is explored in the extremely poignant contemporary piece, Seven Last Words of the Unarmed by Joel Thompson, depicting the last words and/or correspondences of seven unarmed black men each killed by police or authority figures. This compelling program travels from calm to unsettling, thoughtful to explosive, and invites the listener to join hands – only together can we rise to create a brighter world.
PROGRAM Part I: Hands of surrender… Komm, Jesu, komm BWV 229 (Come, Jesus, come) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) Part II: Hands of welcome for those suffering and seeking refuge… To the Hands Caroline Shaw (b. 1982) Part III: Hands of comfort and protection... O Clap Your Hands Together (1622) Orlando Gibbons (1583 – 1625) To Touch His Face (Text by Melinda Clements) Jonathan Woody (b. 1983) World premiere performance Part IV: Hands of sacred mystery… Mass in G minor Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958) Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-2022) and the 100th anniversary of this work’s first performance. Part V: Hands of confusion, anger, fear, and pain… (hands that are unarmed) Seven Last Words of the Unarmed Joel Thompson (b. 1988) Hands of solace and hope... (after pain, together we rise) He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands arr. Brandon Waddles (b. 1988) Traditional Negro Spiritual |
Saturday, October 29, 2022 @ 7:30 pm
Grace Episcopal Cathedral 701 SW 8th Ave Topeka, KS 66603 TICKETS $20 ADULTS / $5 STUDENTS / 12 AND YOUNGER FREE Sunday, October 30, 2022 @ 3:00 pm
St. Mary's Episcopal Church 1307 Holmes St Kansas City, MO 64106 TICKETS $25 GENERAL ADMISSION /$10 STUDENT TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR |
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Photo credits: Andrew Schwartz | veritography.net
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Spire Chamber Ensemble. Copyright 2024.
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